Page:Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton's life.djvu/19

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neighborhood dy'd, who were his cotemporarys; some his schoolfellows: from whom I obtain'd such relations as their memorys supply'd me with. I shall likewise add, what occurs to me of my own knowledg.

^Xthe nre of what I propoſe to doe, is ſuch as forbids me being over ſollicitous about an exact method. this is not a perfect life of Sir Iſaac Newton. it is impoſsible that I sh^d do it, not having the materials, nor any opportunity of obtaining them: nothing more than that little knowledg I c^d obtain, either of my ſelf, or the informations I took, near his native place. I lived in country obsſurity, for above 20 years after his death; which was the fit ſeaſon to gather all the notices of the moſt flouriſhing part of his time. after I have all this while in vain expected juſtice to be done to his memory, I thought what I c^d ſay on the great ſubject would not be wholly unacceptable. ſome are celebrated after death, for their learning, some for their vertue, & piety, & charity, some for acquirements in arts and ſciences; but he claims it, upon all theſe accounts.

In April 1705 Sir Isaac came to Cambridg, to offer himself a candidate to represent the University, in parliament. on the 16th of that month Queen Ann was pleasd to visit the University, from Newmarket: whither a deputation of the heads of the Colleges had been, to invite her. I was then student in Corpus Christi College, in what we call there junior Sophs year, being the 3d after admission. the whole University lined both sides of the way from Emanuel college, where the Queen enter'd the town, to the public schools. her Majesty dined at Trinity college; where she knighted Sir Isaac. & afterward, went to evening service at king's college chapel; which I always lookd upon, as the most magnificent building in the world. the provost made a speech to her Majesty, & presented her with a bible richly ornamented. Then she returned, amid the repeated acclamations of the scholars & townsmen.